


Final Straw

by galacticmistake



Series: The Tour Gone Wrong (Febuwhump 2021) [27]
Category: The Beatles (Band)
Genre: FebuWhump2021, Gen, Hospitals, John Lennon Being an Asshole, Severe Illness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-27
Updated: 2021-02-27
Packaged: 2021-03-19 02:42:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,069
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29743752
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/galacticmistake/pseuds/galacticmistake
Summary: The boys are thrown for a loop when they stay with one of Brian's friends after visiting George. Ringo knows something will go wrong, and once he's proven right, will he ever be able to forgive John?(Febuwhump Day 27: “I wish I had never given you a chance.”)(Modern setting)
Series: The Tour Gone Wrong (Febuwhump 2021) [27]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2139264
Comments: 2
Kudos: 5





	Final Straw

**Author's Note:**

> Warning: Hospital setting, John being an asshole, major character death, severe illness

The next day, the boys found themselves back at the hospital. While Brian signed some important paperwork, the other boys decided to hang out in George’s room, in hopes of giving him some superficial company. 

At some point, Paul recognized that it wouldn’t be good for Ringo to stay in the room any longer.

“Hey, Rings? Come get a cup of coffee with me.”

“Yeah, ok.”

Paul and Ringo left, and John just sat in the room by himself with George. Upon this realization, John moved closer to George and began whispering to him.

“I wish I had never given you a chance. You spoiled absolutely everything for this band. We’d be better off if you were dead.”

Paul opened the door, coffee in hand, absolutely mortified.

“How could you?” Ringo cried out.

“Oh fuck, you’re back.” John muttered. “Did you get me any coffee?”

“...you never asked for any.”

Ringo took his spot next to George, stroking his hand and sipping the lukewarm coffee. Paul took a chair and moved closer to Ringo, trying to offer him some reassurance.

“...I don’t get it.” John blurted out. “Why are you two so emotional about this?”

“...he’s my baby brother.” Paul said. “The two of us, we’re close as close can be. Of course, Ringo is closer to him than I am, but it still stings.”

Ringo couldn’t even formulate a response. He was so internally distraught over the state of things that the only thing he could manage was to sip that coffee.

=====================================================================

Brian showed up at the door about 20 minutes later.

“Hey, we’re leaving. Say your goodbyes and meet me at the car.”

John didn’t even say anything. He just waved and followed Brian out.

Paul grabbed George’s hand and kissed it.

“I’ll be back tomorrow.”

Ringo watched Paul leave, but something just didn’t feel right. Deep down, he knew that this would be the last time he would ever see his best friend, so he had to make this count.

He tenderly stoked George’s hand, and a tear began to trickle down his face.

“I’m gonna miss you so much. But I’ll never forget you.”

He kissed George’s forehead.

“I love you.”

He left not too long later, and he just couldn’t control his tears.

=====================================================================

The car pulled up to an unassuming house, and Brian parked.

“Ok, we’re here.”

“Where are we exactly?” Paul asked.

“This is a friend of mine.”

“How many American friends do you have?” John quipped.

“...not many. Come on, though. We’ll only be here tonight.”

Paul grumbled and got out of the car. He grabbed his suitcase and noticed Ringo, who was more quiet and sullen.

“What’s the matter Ringo?”

“...nothing.”

“Are you scared for George?”

“Not scared, but I know that it won’t end well for him.”

Paul hugged his shoulders.

“Chin up, Rings. He’ll be ok.”

Ringo leaned into his touch.

“We should get going, though.”

Ringo nodded and grabbed his suitcase. Eventually, all 4 made their way to the front door. Brian knocked, and the door opened to an average looking 40-something man.

“Alfred, my old friend!”

“Brian! What brings you here?”

“We got into a little accident. We’ll only be here for the night, if that’s ok.”

“Yeah, no, you’re fine. Just come in, it might start raining soon.”

The 4 made their way inside, and John couldn’t help but admire the interior. Yes, it was a modest house, but something about it just seemed… charming.

The boys sat down on the couch, and Alfred and Brian moved to the dining room, where Alfred had a kettle going for a cup of tea.

Paul made himself comfortable on the couch and fell asleep in a matter of seconds. John snuggled up to him somehow and fell asleep as well.

Ringo just couldn’t get comfortable. There was something in the back of his mind telling him that something just wasn’t right. He got up and moved to the kitchen, hoping to get a cup of tea.

Instead, he got the shock of his life.

“Aren’t there 4 in that little band of yours, Ep?”

Brian nodded.

“Our lead guitarist is in a coma. I just had to sign a DNR for him, though. Things aren’t looking so hot, and I just wanna put him out of his misery.”

Ringo couldn’t breathe. He was horrified that something like that had to be done. Yes, he knew that things were bad, but he didn’t know just how bad they were.

He made his way back to the living room and just started crying.

“Hold on, let me check on something.” Brian muttered.

He walked out to the living room and found Ringo crying on one of the chairs.

“...did you find out about the DNR?”

Ringo nodded.

“I just don’t understand.” Ringo choked out.

“Just in case things go south. He won’t be much good to us in pain.”

All of Ringo’s hope fizzled away in that split second, and he just sobbed harder.

=====================================================================

At 6pm, Brian and Alfred left for dinner at a new-age bistro. John decided to just order McDonalds for everyone off of the internet.

At 6:07pm, the home phone rang. Ringo decided to answer it.

“Hello?”

“Is this Brian Epstein?”

“No, but I can take a message for him.”

“Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but George Harrison died 7 minutes ago.”

“...i’m sorry, what?”

“He had that lung infection for a few days. And I can only imagine that if it wasn’t caused by his broken ribs, then it was exacerbated by them. Anyways, he stopped breathing, and it didn’t take too long for everything to fail after that.”

“...i understand there was a DNR in place.”

“There was. But even if there wasn’t, he still would have died. His ribs posed too much of a risk to perform CPR, and even with oxygen therapy, he was deteriorating.”

“Thank you for letting me know.”

Ringo hung up.

“Who was that?” John asked.

“The hospital.”

“Oh? What’s the deal?”

Ringo just slumped against the wall, and silent tears rolled down his cheeks.

“We lost George.”

Paul walked over to Ringo and hugged him.

“I told him we’d see him tomorrow…”

“There is no tomorrow. For him, at least.”

The two of them just cried. 

“Wait. What do you mean, lost?” John asked.

Paul sighed.

“George is dead.”

John gasped in shock.


End file.
